Leopards aiming to stay in the PSL
On their fifth attempt to get into top flight, the club succeeds
● Black Leopards are yet to conclude finetuning their plans for next season after gaining promotion to the PSL via the playoffs this week.
The Sunday Times has been told that not many changes will be made to the playing and technical staff, but plans to woo sponsors for the Limpopo club are at an advanced stage.
“We are in no rush to make drastic changes in the team. Our coach Joel Masutha is definitely staying with us and most of the players are still contracted to the club, with a few that we need to review their contracts,” said the club’s administrative officer Tendai Thidiela, the younger son of club boss David Thidiela.
Thidiela (jnr) said the club would hold a massive strategic meeting tomorrow at which they will finalise their preparations for the coming season.
After five years in the wilderness in the National First Division (NFD), former player and now coach of the Lidoda Duvha, Masutha, steered the club to the money-spinning league in front of 18 000 of their supporters at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday.
The occasion was Leopards’ fourth and final playoff match against Jomo Cosmos and Karabo Tshepe’s goal was enough to seal the deal for them.
Tshepe’s goal was the sixth for Leopards in the playoffs, with four of those coming from their prized Zambian striker Mwape Musonda, who scored a brace in the games against Cosmos (first leg) and the second game against Platinum Stars.
Musonda (27) has been a revelation for Leopards this season as he also finished as joint top goal-scorer in the NFD with 15 goals that helped his team finish second behind Highlands Park.
Ecstatic about the club’s promotion and his contribution, Musonda said he would like to continue playing for Leopards.
“It feels great that after working so hard we finally got the rewards,” said Musonda, who had an unsuccessful spell at Orlando Pirates in 2016.
“I mean we’ve been in the playoffs four times in five seasons. So it was a long time coming and we are extremely happy that we did it this time.
“It’s only fair that we go up there in the PSL and stay. You can’t fight for five seasons and then come down after one season. I would like to stay and help the team cement their status in the PSL.”
Leopards’ triumph was accompanied by concerns about the state of their Thohoyandou Stadium, but Thidiela said plans are afoot to repair what is needed to be fixed.
“With the help of Thulamela Local Munic- ipality the stadium will be ready for PSL matches next season. We have two other alternative venues but our main stadium is Thohoyandou where we have most of our supporters.”
One matter that could derail Lidoda Duvha’s promotion could be relegated Ajax Cape Town, who want the concluded playoffs declared null and void.
Ajax will be in the South Gauteng High Court on June 14 and 15, seeking to review the award of arbitrator William Mokhare regarding the docking of seven points from Ajax. Thidiela said that’s the least of their worries at this stage.
After working so hard we finally got the rewards
Mwape Musonda
Leopards striker